3rd Party Hosted Podcast - HCP Target

[shotk7]

Is PAAB preclearance exempt for a podcast episode (hosted by a third-party organization) that is sponsored/funded by a manufacturer (without influence on content) in which an HCP is interviewed on clinical practice and shares information about a disease and treatment landscape with no mention of brand names? This podcast episode would only be shared with HCPs for educational purposes.

[Jennifer Carroll]

Hello @shotk7

PAAB exemption criteria can be found in section 1.5 of the Code. At the root of this question is if this piece is advertising or not. The Health Canada policy document "The Distinction Between Advertising and Other Activities" is a valuable tool in determining whether materials are subject to the advertising regulations. The document poses questions and factors to consider (e.g. content/context, content creation, distribution, etc.) when determining if a message falls within the definition of advertising, including “Who sponsors the message and how?”. Whether the HCP piece would require PAAB preclearance also depends on the type of entity which is creating the piece and the relationship between the sponsor and that entity. In general, no single factor will determine if a particular message is promotional (e.g. third-party does not confirm that it is not advertising). Lack of mention of a specific product also does not render something “non-advertising”. Various possible scenarios and the corresponding answers are covered in the following document: Guidance on which HCP materials require PAAB review. Submit an opinion request if you have remaining questions about a particular tool or process (see the fee schedule on our website www.paab.ca)